'This Week' Transcript: Revolution in Egypt

GINGRICH: Well, and -- and -- and my answer is I first want to look
at how we currently spend the aid. I don't think our bureaucracy giving
money to their bureaucracy is democracy.

AMANPOUR: No, no, to NGOs that actually build democracy.

GINGRICH: I think -- I think -- I would expect -- I would certainly
look at rethinking the current foreign aid program and shifting a great
deal more out of government bureaucracies into NGOs and, frankly, into
investments. I think a tax credit for countries that are very poor --
I've supported the Africa free trade bill for that reason.

AMANPOUR: And to get back to your future, after CPAC, when will you
make your decision? Are you going run for president?

GINGRICH: Well, close to now. I'll probably make a decision by the
end of this month about whether or not to set up an exploratory
committee, and we're working our way through it.

AMANPOUR: So no decision right now to tell us?

GINGRICH: Not -- not this morning.

AMANPOUR: No?

GINGRICH: No.

AMANPOUR: Thank you very much.

GINGRICH: Glad to be here.

AMANPOUR: Newt Gingrich, thank you for being with us.

And we will also hear about Egypt and U.S. foreign policy from
another potential Republican White House contender, former Minnesota
Governor Tim Pawlenty. That's later in the program.

When we return, how will military rule in Egypt give way to civilian
democratic rule? And when? Egypt's ambassador to the United States,
Sameh Shoukry, right after this.

AMANPOUR: Welcome back to "This Week."

And with the military now in charge of Egypt, what steps are being
taken to ensure a transition to democracy? Joining me now is Egypt's
ambassador to the United States, Sameh Shoukry, a friend of the program,
trying to explain what is happening in Egypt.

First and foremost, who is in charge? Yes, the military, but is
Vice President Suleiman still there? Is Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik?

SHOUKRY: The Supreme Military Council is chaired by the minister of
defense, Field Marshal Tantawi, so he would be in charge collectively
with the council. The council has decided to maintain the current
government of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik, the caretaker government, to
be -- to be changed at a later stage.

AMANPOUR: So the military now and also Prime Minister Shafik's
latest communique is that the prime aim is to restore security, but that
seems to be a little bit at odds with what the protesters say, many
wanting to stay there until their democratic aspirations are met or at
least outlined.

SHOUKRY: Certainly, there's a security void, and it's necessary to
restructure the police force, but also the economic conditions must be
addressed, as well. So the first priority are security and the economic
welfare, but that doesn't preclude that the reform process would not go
ahead, as well.

AMANPOUR: Well, then tell me exactly what we expect. When will the
emergency law be lifted?

SHOUKRY: In accordance with the fourth communique of the Supreme
Military Council, to be lifted as soon as the current conditions of
protest have been terminated.

AMANPOUR: But when, next week, next year?

SHOUKRY: They haven't defined yet a specific timetable. I believe
that they will do so as conditions stabilize.

AMANPOUR: So that also uncertain, that a key demand of the U.S. and
of the protesters. What about a clear roadmap to elections? Will
elections happen in September, as President Mubarak had been saying?